Flowers with Meaning
Title: Flowers with Meaning
Fandom: Doctor Who/Torchwood with a cameo from Mother Earth
Characters/Pairings: Asher Harkness(Young Gray), Lacey Harkness, Joey Harkness, Owen Harper, Demetra Asdis. Lacey/Owen
Rating: A very fluffy PG
Summary: Lacey had never received flowers. Owen is about to change that.
Notes: Written for the schmoop_bingo challenge Prompt: Flowers Also, don't own Doctor Who or Torchwood and never will. The Personification of Mother Earth is based on how my friend blinding_echos has played her.
Owen did not do flowers. He didn’t know how many times he’s said it, but it was true. He didn’t do the whole giving the girl flowers, for any reason. In fact, the only time he bought flowers, that he remembered, anyways, was for Katie’s funeral years ago. It was the first and last time he bought flowers. The flowers that showed up on Tosh’s desk with no explanation and his name on them didn’t count because he didn’t remember why he bought them, in fact, he didn’t remember buying them at all. He vowed after Katie he’d never buy flowers again, and to this day, he’d kept his vow.
So even he was confused when he found himself standing outside Demetra’s flower shop, staring in the window at the almost fairyland inside. If anyone asked him, he’d say he was running an errand for Jack. Dropping something off for the kids that Demetra watched for them, he even ran by and grabbed some paper for Asher to draw on. He had a feeling though, the minute he walked into that shop, his true reason would be found out. After all, a Goddess ran it, so instead he stood outside, and looked the fool.
She just had to let it slip that no one had ever bothered to buy her flowers, not even her late husband had. Giving flowers was apparently an earth tradition looked down upon in Gallifreyian culture; so it wasn’t until Betty had to explain the tradition to Lacey after asking if she’d gotten any yet that she knew such a thing existed.. Lacey didn’t even sound that bothered by it. It was just a fact stated as she told the story about Betty’s reaction to getting the flowers.
Something about the fact that she never received flowers before, and her seemingly inability to understand the big deal about getting them that led him here. Really it was the fact that she made no fuss about it, no asking why he never gave her flowers, or if he’d ever given any to Tosh or Diane, just a simple: I’ve never gotten flowers.
The tinkling of the little bell above the shop brought Owen out of his thoughts as he glanced over. Demetra was there, leaning on the door in one of her usually flowing gowns. “Are you going to loiter all day outside my shop, Owen, or are you going to come inside?”
He gave a little noncommittal shrug, but followed her into the coolness of the shop. He’d never been inside before, so he had to stop and stare for a few minutes. It really was amazing. The Goddess cleared her throat, bringing Owen back to reality. “Huh? Oh,” He handed her the paper. “Was taking a walk and thought I could swing by with some extra paper for Asher. In case he runs out.” He shrugged as if it were no big deal.
Asher stood just behind Demetra, and giggled slightly before silently pointing. Owen followed his finger. “Oh.” The boy was not in danger of running out of paper or any art supplies really.
“Now that we’ve gotten your cover story out of the way, shall we try this again?” Demetra said with a slight smile. She knew the reason Owen was here; it wasn’t hard to figure out. She’d come to understand his little ways, how he tried to cover up everything with a sarcastic comment or nonchalance. After waiting several moments for him to speak, she chuckled lightly. “Let’s try this approach. What kind of flowers does she like?”
“I don’t know,” Owen said, giving up trying to pretend he wasn’t here for Lacey, “she’s never mentioned.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She mentioned the other day she’d never had anyone give her flowers.”
“And you thought you’d change that,” she gave him a warm smile. “Have you ever gotten anyone flowers?”
“Once,” he said, vaguely, “for a funeral.”
“I see,” she pressed no further on that subject. “What do you know about flowers?” She asked as she motioned him to follow her.
He stuck his hands in his pockets, giving a little shrug. “They grow out of the ground, and girls go crazy over them, then they wilt and you’re left to clean up the mess?”
Mother Earth laughed. “Well, there’s that, but did you know, each flower has it’s own meaning? They represent emotions, joy, sorrow, Love and happiness? Take this, for example,” She picked a red flower, and held up to Owen, “this is a Camellia flower. Red symbolizes a passionate love, a fire in the heart, so to speak. And white,” she pulled a white flower and held it next to the red one, “says you’re adorable.” She gathered a dozen of each flower, then some small violet flowers interspersed in the arrangement.
“What do those mean?” He pointed at the flowers. He might be slightly interested in what she was saying. Might be. Owen wouldn’t really admit it.
“These are called Forget-Me-Nots,” she said, with a little smile, “I think you can guess their meanings.” He gave a little ‘oh’, face before watching her wrap the vase in Ivy. “And this symbolizes loyalty, friendship, devoted love.” She handed the finished arrangement to Owen.
“And how much is this little arrangement going to cost?”
“Oh, put that away,” Demetra said, waving it off, “I make enough from those in the town who I don’t know personally that I can offer a free arrangement every now and then. And don’t worry about them wilting, these won’t ever wilt or fade.”
He smiled his thanks as he took them, ruffling Asher’s hair slightly as he walked out of the shop.
He pulled into the car park of their building, heading up to their flat. They had to delay the house because of her recklessness. He kicked himself realizing he could have simply said they were get well flowers, but what was done was done. He walked into the flat, and smiled as he heard her arguing with one of the kids in the kitchen.
“Joey, for the last time I am quite capable of cooking, broken arm or no. Joey! Stay away from the toaster, you blow up another one, Owen will have your hide.” There was the sound of someone being smacked with what was probably a wooden spoon followed by her oldest laughing.
“Mercy, Mum!” Joey said, glancing up as Owen walked in. “Tell her that she shouldn’t be cooking, Owen, you’re her doctor.”
“When has that ever once worked as an argument to get your mother to do anything?” Owen said, holding the flowers behind his back. “Joey, why don’t you go get your siblings, I’ll deal with your mum.” He gave Joey a look that said he wanted a moment alone with Lacey. Joey gave him a knowing smirk and nodded, heading off to get his brother and sister. He walked over and leaned on the counter by the stove. “Only you would be up, in the kitchen, trying to make dinner for everyone nearly a week after getting mauled by a werewolf.”
“She is a ghost werewolf, let’s get it right,” she said, “And it’s nothing fancy, just pasta, I can make pasta with one hand.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek, before looking at him. “You’re hiding something.”
“Am I?” He asked, a playful smirk on his face. “Huh, I guess I am.” He pulled out the flowers from behind his back.
She looked at the flowers in the vase, tilting her head to the side. “Flowers?” She sounded a bit confused, but happy. “What did I do to get these?”
He almost said they were get-well flowers, an easy out, he knew, but instead he said. “I don’t know, because you’re you. You’re the craziest, most insane, reckless, adorable person I’ve met. You drive me absolutely bonkers, and yet, I can’t seem to live without you.” He waited til she took the flowers. “I would say they were a get well gift, but then, you start getting things like that, and I might be patching you up more than I already am.”
“Oh, don’t act like it’s all the time, you’ve what? Patched me up a handful of times, and really this is the only time it could be considered serious,” she said, but took the flowers, a contented smile on her face. “No ones-“
“No one’s ever giving you flowers, I know.” He said, watching her face. This was the real reason he got the flowers. Not just that she’d never gotten them, but the look on her face anytime he got her something. It didn’t matter what, even banged up with a broken nose and half swollen eyes she looked adorable when she took the sweet he’d had stashed away. “You told me the other day when you were talking about Max and company visiting you.”
She looked at him, a little surprised as she moved to put the vase on the kitchen table. “You remembered that?” It had only been a throw away line in a rambling incoherent conversation thanks to the painkillers in her system. “Wasn’t that when I was rambling on about my pictures of Maggie making the local music magazine?”
He chuckled, remembering the text he’d gotten in the middle of the day from her about it. “Yes, I do believe that was in there somewhere.” He said. “In fact, I think I saw Jack framing it and sticking it in his office at the Hub.” He chuckled again when she started blush. “Come on, sit down, let Joey finish the pasta,” he said, pulling her down in the chair with him. “As long as he goes nowhere near the toaster, we’re fine.” He placed a kiss on her freshly healed cheek.
She sighed and nodded. “It needs a few minutes anyways, I suppose I can sit down for a moment.” She looked back at him. “What made you choose those flowers?”
He smiled at her, understanding now why Demetra had explained about the flowers. “Did you know that flowers have meaning?”
Fandom: Doctor Who/Torchwood with a cameo from Mother Earth
Characters/Pairings: Asher Harkness(Young Gray), Lacey Harkness, Joey Harkness, Owen Harper, Demetra Asdis. Lacey/Owen
Rating: A very fluffy PG
Summary: Lacey had never received flowers. Owen is about to change that.
Notes: Written for the schmoop_bingo challenge Prompt: Flowers Also, don't own Doctor Who or Torchwood and never will. The Personification of Mother Earth is based on how my friend blinding_echos has played her.
Owen did not do flowers. He didn’t know how many times he’s said it, but it was true. He didn’t do the whole giving the girl flowers, for any reason. In fact, the only time he bought flowers, that he remembered, anyways, was for Katie’s funeral years ago. It was the first and last time he bought flowers. The flowers that showed up on Tosh’s desk with no explanation and his name on them didn’t count because he didn’t remember why he bought them, in fact, he didn’t remember buying them at all. He vowed after Katie he’d never buy flowers again, and to this day, he’d kept his vow.
So even he was confused when he found himself standing outside Demetra’s flower shop, staring in the window at the almost fairyland inside. If anyone asked him, he’d say he was running an errand for Jack. Dropping something off for the kids that Demetra watched for them, he even ran by and grabbed some paper for Asher to draw on. He had a feeling though, the minute he walked into that shop, his true reason would be found out. After all, a Goddess ran it, so instead he stood outside, and looked the fool.
She just had to let it slip that no one had ever bothered to buy her flowers, not even her late husband had. Giving flowers was apparently an earth tradition looked down upon in Gallifreyian culture; so it wasn’t until Betty had to explain the tradition to Lacey after asking if she’d gotten any yet that she knew such a thing existed.. Lacey didn’t even sound that bothered by it. It was just a fact stated as she told the story about Betty’s reaction to getting the flowers.
Something about the fact that she never received flowers before, and her seemingly inability to understand the big deal about getting them that led him here. Really it was the fact that she made no fuss about it, no asking why he never gave her flowers, or if he’d ever given any to Tosh or Diane, just a simple: I’ve never gotten flowers.
The tinkling of the little bell above the shop brought Owen out of his thoughts as he glanced over. Demetra was there, leaning on the door in one of her usually flowing gowns. “Are you going to loiter all day outside my shop, Owen, or are you going to come inside?”
He gave a little noncommittal shrug, but followed her into the coolness of the shop. He’d never been inside before, so he had to stop and stare for a few minutes. It really was amazing. The Goddess cleared her throat, bringing Owen back to reality. “Huh? Oh,” He handed her the paper. “Was taking a walk and thought I could swing by with some extra paper for Asher. In case he runs out.” He shrugged as if it were no big deal.
Asher stood just behind Demetra, and giggled slightly before silently pointing. Owen followed his finger. “Oh.” The boy was not in danger of running out of paper or any art supplies really.
“Now that we’ve gotten your cover story out of the way, shall we try this again?” Demetra said with a slight smile. She knew the reason Owen was here; it wasn’t hard to figure out. She’d come to understand his little ways, how he tried to cover up everything with a sarcastic comment or nonchalance. After waiting several moments for him to speak, she chuckled lightly. “Let’s try this approach. What kind of flowers does she like?”
“I don’t know,” Owen said, giving up trying to pretend he wasn’t here for Lacey, “she’s never mentioned.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She mentioned the other day she’d never had anyone give her flowers.”
“And you thought you’d change that,” she gave him a warm smile. “Have you ever gotten anyone flowers?”
“Once,” he said, vaguely, “for a funeral.”
“I see,” she pressed no further on that subject. “What do you know about flowers?” She asked as she motioned him to follow her.
He stuck his hands in his pockets, giving a little shrug. “They grow out of the ground, and girls go crazy over them, then they wilt and you’re left to clean up the mess?”
Mother Earth laughed. “Well, there’s that, but did you know, each flower has it’s own meaning? They represent emotions, joy, sorrow, Love and happiness? Take this, for example,” She picked a red flower, and held up to Owen, “this is a Camellia flower. Red symbolizes a passionate love, a fire in the heart, so to speak. And white,” she pulled a white flower and held it next to the red one, “says you’re adorable.” She gathered a dozen of each flower, then some small violet flowers interspersed in the arrangement.
“What do those mean?” He pointed at the flowers. He might be slightly interested in what she was saying. Might be. Owen wouldn’t really admit it.
“These are called Forget-Me-Nots,” she said, with a little smile, “I think you can guess their meanings.” He gave a little ‘oh’, face before watching her wrap the vase in Ivy. “And this symbolizes loyalty, friendship, devoted love.” She handed the finished arrangement to Owen.
“And how much is this little arrangement going to cost?”
“Oh, put that away,” Demetra said, waving it off, “I make enough from those in the town who I don’t know personally that I can offer a free arrangement every now and then. And don’t worry about them wilting, these won’t ever wilt or fade.”
He smiled his thanks as he took them, ruffling Asher’s hair slightly as he walked out of the shop.
He pulled into the car park of their building, heading up to their flat. They had to delay the house because of her recklessness. He kicked himself realizing he could have simply said they were get well flowers, but what was done was done. He walked into the flat, and smiled as he heard her arguing with one of the kids in the kitchen.
“Joey, for the last time I am quite capable of cooking, broken arm or no. Joey! Stay away from the toaster, you blow up another one, Owen will have your hide.” There was the sound of someone being smacked with what was probably a wooden spoon followed by her oldest laughing.
“Mercy, Mum!” Joey said, glancing up as Owen walked in. “Tell her that she shouldn’t be cooking, Owen, you’re her doctor.”
“When has that ever once worked as an argument to get your mother to do anything?” Owen said, holding the flowers behind his back. “Joey, why don’t you go get your siblings, I’ll deal with your mum.” He gave Joey a look that said he wanted a moment alone with Lacey. Joey gave him a knowing smirk and nodded, heading off to get his brother and sister. He walked over and leaned on the counter by the stove. “Only you would be up, in the kitchen, trying to make dinner for everyone nearly a week after getting mauled by a werewolf.”
“She is a ghost werewolf, let’s get it right,” she said, “And it’s nothing fancy, just pasta, I can make pasta with one hand.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek, before looking at him. “You’re hiding something.”
“Am I?” He asked, a playful smirk on his face. “Huh, I guess I am.” He pulled out the flowers from behind his back.
She looked at the flowers in the vase, tilting her head to the side. “Flowers?” She sounded a bit confused, but happy. “What did I do to get these?”
He almost said they were get-well flowers, an easy out, he knew, but instead he said. “I don’t know, because you’re you. You’re the craziest, most insane, reckless, adorable person I’ve met. You drive me absolutely bonkers, and yet, I can’t seem to live without you.” He waited til she took the flowers. “I would say they were a get well gift, but then, you start getting things like that, and I might be patching you up more than I already am.”
“Oh, don’t act like it’s all the time, you’ve what? Patched me up a handful of times, and really this is the only time it could be considered serious,” she said, but took the flowers, a contented smile on her face. “No ones-“
“No one’s ever giving you flowers, I know.” He said, watching her face. This was the real reason he got the flowers. Not just that she’d never gotten them, but the look on her face anytime he got her something. It didn’t matter what, even banged up with a broken nose and half swollen eyes she looked adorable when she took the sweet he’d had stashed away. “You told me the other day when you were talking about Max and company visiting you.”
She looked at him, a little surprised as she moved to put the vase on the kitchen table. “You remembered that?” It had only been a throw away line in a rambling incoherent conversation thanks to the painkillers in her system. “Wasn’t that when I was rambling on about my pictures of Maggie making the local music magazine?”
He chuckled, remembering the text he’d gotten in the middle of the day from her about it. “Yes, I do believe that was in there somewhere.” He said. “In fact, I think I saw Jack framing it and sticking it in his office at the Hub.” He chuckled again when she started blush. “Come on, sit down, let Joey finish the pasta,” he said, pulling her down in the chair with him. “As long as he goes nowhere near the toaster, we’re fine.” He placed a kiss on her freshly healed cheek.
She sighed and nodded. “It needs a few minutes anyways, I suppose I can sit down for a moment.” She looked back at him. “What made you choose those flowers?”
He smiled at her, understanding now why Demetra had explained about the flowers. “Did you know that flowers have meaning?”